Boll weevil exterminator



April 8 -=1924. 1,4 9,292

J. M. WILEY BOLL WEEVIL EXTERMINATOR Filed Feb. 1. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR TTORNEY Patented l5, fill-2d.

UNITE-D JAB-TEES M. lVliLEY, OF HOLLYWGQD, TENNESSEE.

Application filed February 1, 1923. Serial No. 616,293.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMns M. WILEY, a citizen or" the United States, residing at Hollywood, in the county of Shelby and the State of Tennessee, have invented certein new end useful Improvements in Boll ZVeevil Exterminators, of which the tollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable anyone skilled in the art to make and use the some.

My invention relates to mechanical devices for removing boll weevils and drum aged squares from cotton plants and effectively collecting the same so that they may be removed from the fieldond properly destroyed.

The objects of my invention are to Pflf0- vidc efficient means of shaking the plants and throwing the squares and weevils l1: e. collecting device and also or collecting such squares or weevils as fall outside of the collecting pan.

A further object is to provide such a device which may be readily operated by hand, or if desired may be attached to a. horse drawn machine, such as an ordinary cultivator.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a device of the class described, employing suitable, simple and durable mechanical structures which may be easily operated and which will not be expensive to manufacture.

I accomplish these and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, as will be more fully hereinafter set out in the drewings, specifications and claims, to which reference is now made.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1, is a plan view of my device adepted to be operated by hand with the cover removed therefrom in order to permit the ports thereoi to be more clearly seen.

Fi 2, is a side elevation of the same device likewise with the cover removed.

Fig. 3, is a front elevation complete.

Fig. 4, is en enlarged detail of what may be termed an auxiliary collecting device.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlonggetei'l views of the agitatingbrushes and supporting members therefor.

Fig. 7,1is a front elevation showing the device attached to the beam of an ordinary riding cultivator. 7

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by the same in turn strike against the handle 1 and are pushed forward, each carrying with it, its brush 6, thus throwing the sand brush sgemst the cotton plant 7 which roughly outlined in Fig. 3 and violently shaking the I same. This agitating or shaking of the cotton plant dislodges those squares which have previously been damaged by boll weevil attack, and are therefore easily shsked loose and also dislodges the boll weevil themselves, and throws both weevils and squares t ward at collecting pen 8 pro vided therefor. This pan 8 is supported by motel arms 9 which extend upward therefrom high enough to clear the top of the plant 7 and bend over and downward and are attached to the said plow handle l in any suitable or desired manner. 10, is a brace which extends along; and is fastened to the top of these metal arms 9 and over to the plow handle 1, to which it is fastened in such manner as may be desired end being so fastened, forms a brace for, and completes the carrying frame of the machine, 11, is a canvas curtain which is preferably fastened to the brace 10 and hangs loosely downwardly therefrom over the arms 9, so that any squares or weevils which are dislodged from the cotton plant 7 will be caused to fall downward into the collecting pen 8. The lower edge of this canvas is preferably firmly attached to the pen in some suitable manner.

ll desired, the pan 8 may be directly connected to the supporting arms 9, but I prefer to connect it to bars 12 from which bars bolts provided with wing nuts 13 extend through slots 14.- in the arms 9, whereby the height of the pan 8 may be adjusted so that the same will be closer to or further from the ground as may'be desired. One of the bolts 15 on each arm is preferably an eye bolt into which a. supporting chain, strip, or similar member, maybe fastened to support the outer edge of the pan 8 and hold the same level.

It will be seen that some of the squares or weevils may drop downward on the side of the plant next to the brushes and in order that these may not escape, I provide an auxiliary gatherer which is preferably a wire coil 1'7, which is preferably supported in a substantially horizontal position by a bar 18, from which a vertical integral section 19 extends upwardly and is fastened to and carried by the handles l1 20 is a brace which extends from this bar over to, and is fastened to the plow handle 1. The attachment of both the bars 19 and the brace 20 in both cases may be made in any suitable or desired manner. The wire coil 17 is disposed with the diameter of the individual coils substantially parallel to the diameter of the wheel 8, so that these coils move forward immediately behind. and parallel with the path of the wheel 21, is a wire mesh screen disposed within the coil 17 beginning at a point slightly in front of the center of the same and extending upward substantially to the middle of the top thereof. 22, is brush carried by the front of the coil 17, to which it is attached in a suitable manner which brush is adapted to rest upon the surface of the ground and brush forward any squares or weevils that may have dropped thereon. As these are brushed forward and pile up, they work backward over the top of the brush through the open front of the coil 17 and on to the screen 21, the dust and dirt gathered up with them sifting through the screen and allowing the squares and weevils to be retained thereon.

In Fig. 7, I show this device adapted to be attached to the beam of an ordinary riding cultivator, which beam forms a car-- rying member 28. In this form of the device the metal arms 9 preferably extend upward from the pan 8 and are attached to the beam 23. One or both of these arms may be braced to the axle 25 by means of a suitable brace or braces 26. The wheel 3 is carried by an arm 27 also preferably extending downward from the beam 23 and provided with a suitable brace 28. The brackets 5 carrying the. brushes 6 in this case, in revolving, strike against the supporting arm 27. The action of the device being substantially identical with that previously described.

The various details described may be varied as is desired without substantially deviating from my invention. The form of attachment of the various parts may be by means of screws, bolts, or any other suitable and desired fastening, such as are most convenient. The arms 9 and 9 are shown as curved and are preferably so made, but it is evident that they may be made of eas es with some liquid for poisioning tne weevils or with kerosene and when full of weevils and squares these should be removed there from, and unless the weevils be killed by poisoning, they should be destroyed by burning.

In operation, the device if operated by hand is used by the operator grasping the plow handles and pushing the device for ward with the wheel on one side of the row of cotton and the pan on the other side. As the device is pushed forward, the wheel 3 revolving causes the brush carrying spring arms 5 to strike against the plow handle 1 and the brushes 6 to thereby be thrown violently against the cotton plant throwing the same to one side and shaking the loose squares and boll weevils into the pan 8 or against the canvas 11 by which they are guided in to the pan. Such squares or boll weevils as drop directly downward are gathered up by the auxiliary collecting coil 17 and are carried forward by the screen 21. The dirt and dust dropping through the screen and the squares and weevils being retained thereon. If desired, the device may be pulled forward by animal or other power. The operation of the de vice in Fig. 7 is identical except that in this case, the cultivator is necessarily pulled by animal power and the brushes 6 are thrown forward by the spring arms 5 striking against the arm 27.

Having now fully described my inven tion, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is 1. In a machine of the class described the combination with a wheel and means for carrying and propelling the same, of a plu rality of spring bractets eachv carrying a brush extending laterally from the said wheel, an arch shaped frame extending from said carrying means, a pan supported by said frame, a curtain covering said frame, and a member disposed in the path of the said spring brackets t agitate them laterally.

2. In a machine of the class described the combination with a pair of handles, an axle extending therefrom, a wheel journalled on the said axle, an arch shaped frame extending upward from said handles and arching over and extending laterally beyond said wheel, a pan carried by the free end of said frame, a curtain supported by said arch frame and attached to said pan, U shaped spring brackets attached to said wheel and normally disposed so that rotating t strike against the said handles and are there by laterally aoitated, each of said brackets carrying brushes extending laterally from said wheel toward said pan.

3. In a machine of the class described the combination with a wheel and means for carrying and propelling the same, a plurality of spring brackets each carrying a brush extending laterally from the said wheel, an arch shaped frame extending from said carrying means, a pan supported by said frame, and a member disposed in the path of the said spring brackets, to agitate them laterally.

l. In a machine of the class described the combination with a pair of handles, an axle extending therefrom, a wheel journalled on the said axle, an arch shaped frame extending upward from said handles and arching over and extending laterally beyond said wheel, a pan 'arried by the free end of said frame, U shaped spring brackets attached to said wheel, each carrying a brush extending laterally from said wheel toward said pan, said brackets being normally disposed so that inrotating they strike against the said handles and are thereby displaced to agitate the said brushes laterally.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination with. a wheel and means for carrying and propelling the same, a plurality of spring brackets each carrying a brush extending laterally from the said wheel, an arch shaped frame extending from said carrying means, a pan supported by said frame, a curtain covering said frame. a member disposed in the path of the said spring braclrcts to agitate them laterally and an auxiliary collecting device disposed rearwardly of said wheel.

6. In a machine of the class described the combination with a pair of handles, an axle extending therefrom, a wheel "ournalled on the said axle, an arch shaped frame extending upward from said handles and arching over and extending laterally beyond said wheel, a pan carried by the free end of said frame, a curtain supported by said arch and attached to said pan, U shaped spring brack ets carried bv said wheel and normally disposed so that in rotating they strike against the said handles, each of said brackets carrying brushes extending laterally from said wheel toward said pan, and adapted to be laterally agitated when said brackets strike against said handles, and an auxiliary collecting device supported rearwardly of said wheel.

7. lln a machine of the class described, a carrying member, a wheel carried therefrom, a plurality of brushes mounted on and extending laterally from the said wheel, an

arch frame attached to said member and extending above and away from said wheel, a pan sup orted by said arch frame and spaced laterally away from said wheel, a curtain supported by said frame and attached to the said pan and means for agitating said bruslcs laterally toward and above said pan, and an auxiliary collecting der followin said wheel.

8. In a machine of the class described, a carrying member, carried therefrom, a plurality of brushes mounted on and extending laterally from the said wheel, an arch frame attached to said member and extending above and away from said wheel, a pan supported by said arch frame and spaced laterally away from said wheel, and means for agitating said brushes laterally toward and above said pan, and an auxiliary collecting device following said wheel.

9. In a machine of the class described, a carrying member, a wheel carried therefrom, a plurality of brushes mounted on and extending laterally from the said wheel, an arch frame attached to said member and extending above and away from said wheel, a pan supported by said arch frame and spaced laterally away from said wheel, a curtain supported by said frame and attached to the said pan and means for agitating said brushes laterally toward and above said pan, and an auxiliary collecting device following said wheel, comprising a wire coil, a screen supported Within and covering the back of said coil from the center of the bottom thereof to near the top thereof, and a brush supported immediately in front of the said coil substantially level with the bottom thereof.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my name.

JAMES M. WlLEY.

lVitnesses:

Crass. E. Srnna, M. S. SMITH. 1 

